DETERMINANTS INFLUENCING MADEIRA ISLAND'S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT POLICIES AS AN ECO-TOURISM DESTINATION: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Objective: Based on the standards of Global Sustainable Tourism Council and the participants' experiences at destination, the current study aims to reflect and survey among visitors to Madeira Island about the primary challenges to be taken into consideration for the development of sustainable policies for the tourist destination. Method: 1136 valid questionnaires were collected and statistical treatment was carried out. In order to create value, replicate it in the economy, and improve the well-being of both residents and visitors to the Destination, all parties involved in the Sustainable Destination certification process. Results and Discussion: The findings hold significance for an enhanced comprehension of the phenomena intrinsic to the Madeira Eco-Tourist Destination. Research Implications: The practical implications of the research were to recommend ways in which political decision-makers and companies in the tourism sector can improve their performance in the process of certifying the Madeira Islands destination as an Eco-Tourism destination with sustainability concerns. The research is relevant to the enrichment of literature at the level of Portuguese-speaking academia, in the panorama of global and island studies, particularly in the development of socioeconomic policies for sustainable tourism. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the border between the management of tourism destination certification projects based on sustainability and tourism innovation/promotion and can contribute something new for both professionals and policy makers in the formulation environment. of sustainable development policies for destinations.